What Are Kidney Stones? How Do You Get Rid of Them?

Last summer on a Saturday night, I found myself in the hospital emergency room. I had a sudden onset of flank discomfort, and the pain was unbearable. The pain was actually far more severe than when I broke my foot.

An X- ray determined that I had a kidney stone.

One sympathetic nurse who set up my IV of fluids who also had passed a large kidney stone said that her experience was more painful than natural childbirth.

Approximately 13 percent of men and 7 percent of women In the United States will have a kidney stone sometime in their lifetime, according to the University of Michigan Health System. And unfortunately, I am one of these people. More than 1 million people will have a kidney stone this year alone.

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The last time I had an experience with a kidney stone was 20 years ago, so this was not a recurring issue. However, having stones prior does put one at risk for a recurrence. Fortunately, I did not have any infection so I was not prescribed any antibiotics, but some people do have a urinary tract infection as well.

What was shocking to me was that, despite running several half-marathons earlier in the year, I was not as healthy as I presumed. The urologist who treated me contended that the kidney stone mostly likely began to form in January, and was caused by chronic dehydration.

After leaving the hospital, I followed up with a different urologist, and found out that a diet low in salt is also advised. This is something which I was unaware of but now I am carefully monitoring my salt intake, and trying to eat foods low in sodium.

The Mayo Clinic also confirms that these are both good practices.

While kidney stones are a very painful experience that no one wants to have, there are some preventive measures that can be taken.

We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.